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For Kami Richardson of Saratoga, the award — which came courtesy of the Disney Company — capped two full years of dedicated volunteerism. At an age when few of her peers are thinking beyond the next recess bell, Kami finds satisfaction in helping others."

Helping your neighbors : Local : Times Record News: "“I opened the box and read the letter and just about cried,” said WFAFB Executive Director Mary Stengal. “To think that this soldier sent a box of food all the way from Afghanistan, that he responded to the needs of people here, is heartwarming.”

Included in the box, addressed from Sharana, Afghanistan, and filled with canned soup, fruit cups, peanuts and Ramen noodles was a note."

Summit gets charities, donors together | CourierPostOnline.com | Courier-Post: "Now a New Yorker, he was the keynote speaker Thursday at South Jersey's first philanthropy summit, sponsored by the Philadelphia Business Journal. More than 300 people representing companies that want to help the needy, and nonprofit organizations that need their money, in-kind services and volunteer labor attended the breakfast at The Merion on Route 130.

Hoping to foster those relationships and to pool small individual charitable gifts is the newly formed Community Foundation of South Jersey. Chaired by Jack Tarditi of Connor Strong and Mindy Holman, CEO and president of Holman Enterprises, the foundation hopes to raise $5 million within the next three to five years."

Management by association::: "According to the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), association management companies provide management and administrative services to over 25,000 national organizations and over 65,000 local, state and regional ones. Over 500,000 professionals are involved in association management."

But two years ago, the then-flush investment bank gave Manhattan's Orchestra of St. Luke's 50 grand for a music education program, and as the organization's vice president of operations, Clark is hoping that in its death throes, the company just might cut one last check. She has traded a few e-mails with her Lehman contacts in recent days, but she hasn't raised the subject."

News | Africa - Reuters.com: "LONDON (Reuters) - The number of people living 'on the edge of emergency' in Africa has nearly doubled to 220 million in just two years, a leading charity said on Thursday.

CARE International said emergency aid to the impoverished and strife-ridden continent continued to arrive too late, was short-term and policies were targeted too heavily on saving lives rather than building resilience in the population."

Turn on any news show and you’ll hear analysts and pundits forecasting economic doom and gloom. Their reports are filled with words and phrases like “economic downturn,” “soft economy,” and the dreaded “recession.” While the jury is still out about whether or not we’re really in a recession, now is a great time to recession-proof your fundraising effort."

'There weren't a lot of young people there,' said Dan Miller. 'So that obviously hits you with, 'That's strange. What's going on? I know a lot of young talented people. I know they want to get involved. Why aren't they here?''

The NonProfit Times - The Leading Business Publication For Nonprofit Management: "The Valencia, Calif.-based marketing research firm for nonprofits compiled “The Great American Donor Survey” using both the telephone and Internet. It includes responses from 3,400 donors who were screened for giving activity during the previous 12 months. Results were released at the recent Bridge Conference in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the Direct Marketing Association of Washington and the Association of Fundraising Professionals Washington, D.C. Metro Area Chapter."

Greenwood Today: "The Greenwood Chamber of Commerce will be holding an organizational meeting at Wesley Commons for its new Non-profit Council on Thursday, September 18. The purpose of this new council will be to address the needs and promote the development of non-profit organizations in Greenwood and the surrounding area. The breakfast meeting will begin at 8:15 a.m. with registration and networking followed by the program at 8:30 a.m. Guest speaker will be Jamie Inman, Development Director of the YMCA of Greenville and Upstate Chapter President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. All area representatives of non-profit groups are invited to attend this informative meeting that will lay the groundwork for future endeavors."

This is clearly a tough situation. The core issue is really about how much a nonprofit is willing to do for the money it needs. It's an ethical dilemma — and not nearly as uncommon as some of you may think."

USA: Women Moving Millions: "The great 19th century novelist Harriet Beecher Stowe once claimed, 'women are the real architects of society.' A century later, noted anthropologist Margaret Mead said, 'Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.' Their words resonate for multitudes of women who have given generously of their time, talent and money to support others in need and to foster social change that benefits entire communities and nations."

Event Creative Produces Charity Event on O'Hare Runway - MarketWatch: "he gala, hosted by Mayor and Mrs. Richard M. Daley, is to be held on Sept. 19 at O'Hare International Airport. It will also serve as the inaugural event to commemorate the O'Hare Modernization Project and the November 2008 opening of the airport's newest runway, Runway 9 Left/27 Right.'We are honored to be leading the production of this distinguished Chicago event,' said Sean Cannon, a director at Event Creative. 'To my knowledge, an event like this has never before been held on a runway. We're proud that our experienced staff has the unique abilities to bring this gala together in six days; an event of this magnitude would typically take two weeks to organize.'"

High energy costs have affected pretty much every sector of the population, but some of the poorest New Yorkers will likely see the worst of the fiscal crunch as the price of gas makes volunteering financially prohibitive for a lot of the folks who roll up their sleeves to help their neighbors."

You can see a history of stories on this topic by using this category label NPKroc ( Just a reminder that some of the historical links may no longer be live)

Kroc Center now on track - Press-Telegram: "When the Salvation Army announced in May 2006 that it had won a coveted grant of between $70 million and $80 million from the estate of the late Joan Kroc to build the center, officials predicted the facility could open as soon as September 2009.

Instead, the organization was hamstrung by slowed negotiations, which in turn prevented the Salvation Army from beginning a capital campaign."

Last night (Monday, September 15th), nearly 28,000 displaced hurricane victims spent the night in Red Cross shelters scattered across the Gulf Coast and Texas. They slept on cots and ate warm meals made possible by Red Cross donors. The organization’s leaders are asking that the donor support continue, only more of it."

Sept. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Charles Best, founder of the New York-based nonprofit DonorsChoose, sat in his garment district office yesterday and contemplated the loss of his biggest corporate benefactor after the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.

``Lehman's support has been a pillar of our growth,'' Best said, adding: ``It certainly doesn't mean the end of our organization.''"

'It's a very challenging time for not-for-profits,' the chief executive officer of CIT and a trustee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and New York City Ballet, Jeffrey Peek, said. 'It's a little bit of a perfect storm.'"

The Island-Business: "Charity tea auctions are not something new to the tea trade. However 10th September was quite extraordinary in that the American Ambassador Robert O Blake was present to witness what usually goes on at the weekly tea auctions, and hopefully he would spread the word that the tea trade and its auction is something phenomenal and that US buyers should visit, and perhaps glean some pointers how things work. Also it was hoped that many doors would open to the not so bad tea trade.

As already said the charity auction raised approximately in excess 6 million SLR. All proceeds would go for tsunami aid monitored by the Colombo Tea Traders Association. (CTTA)."

United Services is one of 28 nonprofits providing child guidance clinic services, routinely handling more than 8.5 percent of the state’s caseload of children needing psychiatric outpatient services. Yet, United Services receives only 7.7 percent of the state funding earmarked for those services — effectively doing more with less."

Fund nonprofits and study results | theadvertiser.com | The Advertiser: "nvesting in the non-profit groups is good business. In the aggregate, the organizations represent shelter, food and hope for the needy, refuge for the abused, and - in those that serve the arts - enhancement of the quality of life for everyone. It is money well spent and much needed. We all will reap benefits from its us"